Sunday, October 4, 2009

The Sunday Comments ( 10 - 04 - 09 )

Another batch of your Sunday Comments ... SUPER-SIZED Edition!!!

re: THE TRASHMEN:>>>Beloved midwest garage-rock kings and Sundazed recording artists the Trashmen will perform their FIRST-EVER New York-area shows, on October 23 at Southpaw in Brooklyn and October 24 at Maxwell's in Hoboken. According to Dal Winslow, "In the early '60s, we played a club in New Jersey and around the Finger Lakes region, but we never hit New York City. It's been a long tome coming, like 40 years, and we're really looking forward to it!" (Marlene O'Malley)Uhhhhh - they STILL missed New York City - Al Kooperlol ... that's THEIR press release, not mine!!! (lol) Maybe they fly OVER New York City??? Or stop to use the bathroom on the drive over??? (kk)

re: CASABLANCA RECORDS:Kent:The five-part Casablanca story is right on the money - very factual and the person who wrote it did his homework. I was the Casablanca Dist. here in Cleveland from 1974-1977 throughout their entire independent label phase and knew the story quite well.Joey Reynolds is being inducted in to the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame next Thursday night 10.8. He will be attending the awards gala to accept his award - should be interesting. His reign at WKBW from March 1963 to Feb. 1966 was dominating.Clay PasternackIt truly is an AMAZING piece of work ... and I've heard REALLY good things about these Casablanca pages from some of our other readers, too. If you haven't had time to check this out yet, you can find it here: http://tinyurl.com/nzjhrbKent ...Christian John Wikane has written a brilliant piece for Pop Matters on one of the greatest icons of the music industry ... my late friend Neil Bogart ... and the 35th anniversary of Casablanca Records! Regards,Artie Waynehttp://artiewayne.wordpress.comre: KANYE:>>>Just as in any year, there was a mix of good stuff along with certifiable junk in 1939. Let's leap ahead 70 years to today.-- when we have idiots like Kanye West hogging the spotlight. Is 2009 really better? (Gary Theroux)Kanye's blunder is STILL being talked about. Not only did President Obama refer to him as "a jackass", a comment quickly Twittered around the globe, but at a recent speaking engagement at Emory University, Former President Jimmy Carter called West's behavior at The MTV Video Music Awards Show "completely uncalled for", going on to say that "his punishment was to appear on the new Jay Leno show." Talk about being right on the mark ... have you SEEN Leno's new show?!?!? Man, talk about "blunders"!!! This one doesn't play very well at 9 PM ... we've stopped watching ... we've yet to find anything even CLOSE to resembling entertainment in the three or four programs that we turned on. As one critic said, at least at 10:30 if Leno was bombing you could change the channel and watch David Letterman or Jimmy Kimmel ... now you're most likely just going to turn the TV off because you've already missed a key part of whatever 9 PM dramas were airing on the other networks. My guess is that NBC is quickly scrambling to come up with five new one hour dramas of their own ... STAT!!! (kk)re: UP-COMING AND / OR RECENT SHOWS:Kent,Foreigner was just FAN-DAMN-TASTIC! They sang every song they recorded and was selling a 3 disc set for $20, of which $5 goes to fight breast cancer. With each purchase you got one raffle ticket and one number was drawn to win a guitar signed by all the members of the group and to spend a few minutes backstage with the group. No, I didn't win ... we don't play guitar. The cds are just awesome ... cd #1 contains 13 new songs, cd #2 has ten remastered hits, and the third is a dvd of one of their concerts. My husband usually tries to convince me NOT to buy a cd at a concert, but this time he didn't stop me, as he wanted a cd of theirs as we only have a cassette. They were on for an hour and forty minutes. WOW!ArleneI caught their Soundstage appearance this past year and they were absolutely EXCELLENT ... one of the best shows I've seen in a long, long time. Highly recommended! (kk)

Kent ...How ya' doin'? My friend bass player Colin Cameron, forwarded this info about a benefit concert being held for our friend Richie Haywood, drummer for Little Feat. Los Angeles, CA, September 25, 2009 – Legendary drummer and founding member of Little Feat, Richie Hayward has been diagnosed with liver cancer. Two L.A. musicians, along with an outpouring of help from the music community, have organized a benefit concert to raise money for Richie’s burgeoning medical expenses. The concert will take place on Sunday October 4th at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California. Richie’s illness has forced him to take an indefinite leave of absence from the band to fight this debilitating disease. (It has been estimated that liver cancer and intrahepatic bile duct cancer will claim the lives of more than 18,000 Americans this year alone.*) While Richie is off the road he will be receiving no income, and he is just one of the more than 40 million Americans without health insurance. In December of 2001, Richie’s son Severin was severely injured in a car accident and suffered major brain damage which he is still recovering from. This, and other crises in his life have cost Richie a great deal emotionally and financially, and now he is facing his own medical crisis. Some of the artists who are scheduled to perform are:Jackson Browne; Jimmy Vivino — guitarist from Conan O’Brien’s Tonight Show Band; Coco Montoya — local blues legend and festival favorite; Luis Conte — renowned percussionist for James Taylor, Madonna, Phil Collins, Cher, Eric Clapton and more; Shaun Murphy — long-time former singer with Little Feat and long-time back-up singer for Bob Seger; Albert Lee — Legendary guitarist, Grammy award winner and blues legend and his all star band including Colin Cameron, Greg Bissonette, and Vern Monnett; Lightnin’ Willie & The Poor Boys — just returning from a two-month tour of the UK; The Restless Blues Band; The Jeremiah Roiko Band; Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps; Dallas Hodge and his Band; The Laurie Morvan Band; Big Fish; California Transit Authority featuring Danny Seraphine and Marc Bonilla; Celebrity All Star Jam with Steve Luthaker including Freebo, Walfredo Reyes, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Richie Zito, Mick Fleetwood, Johnnie Rivers, Rick Latham, Leland Sklar, Tony Braunagal, Miles Joseph, Scotty Page and more. Hosts: Geno Michelini, Mickey Jones and Bill Portman. Large corporations such as Drum Workshop, Sabian cymbals, Zildjian cymbals, Pearl drums and more, plus local businesses have also donated goods and services for the organizers to be auctioned or raffled off on the night, including a special “Richie Hayward” drum kit from DW Drums. Also helping to facilitate this event and ongoing fund raising for Richie is Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Sweet Relief is a national non-profit charity dedicated to providing financial support for career musicians facing illness, disability or age related problems. Tickets information for the benefit concert can be found on the website – set up by the organizers: www.richiehaywardbenefit.com

re: THE BEATLES:>>>Plus The Garage Band Beatles musicians: Vince Martell, lead guitarist of VANILLA FUDGE; Stewkey, lead singer of NAZZ; Tommy Frenzy, lead singer / guitarist of TUFF DARTS!; Pat Horgan, producer of "Garage Band Beatles (Charles Rosenay)Hey Kent ...I'd like to mention that I'm included on this cool new Beatles tribute CD, "Garage Band Beatles".I covered the song "I Call Your Name".I played all of the instruments and sang all of the parts on this track.Here's a photo of the cover.It's being released on Collectables Records.It's a very cool disc.I'd like to thank Pat Horgan for including me on it.Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords

Looking forward to hearing this CD ... I remember you mentioning it a while back. (I like your version of "I Call Your Name" ... which we're not allowed to feature just yet in Forgotten Hits ... but, hopefully, we WILL be able to share with you down the line now that the CD has officially been released. In fact, I remember suggesting that you consider "Cry For A Shadow" should there be the talked-about follow-up release!!! By the way, Mitch is ALSO working on a Monkees-Tribute CD!) kk

>>>Naturally, now that I be broke as fuck (the sequel to "Queer As Folk"), the Beatles Remasters are out. Damnit, Jim!!!!! (Pond)>>>Cheers! (Charles F. Rosenay / Liverpool Productions LLC)No cheers here, very inappropriate language if you ask me!!BagawireMaybe you've never BEEN broke as fuck!!! But it's REALLY gotta suck when you want something THIS badly, wait for it to come out for 22 years, and then don't have the money to pay for it!!! By the way, I still have one extra sealed Mono Box Set ... haven't seen ANY of these in the stores, mono OR stereo, since the day they were released ... and have heard from a couple of people now that the Mono Box is officially considered "out of print". If anybody has an interest in talking to me about this one, drop me a line! (kk)

... and, speaking of the new Beatles boxes ...

Howdy, Kent!Long time, no talk! I've been telling Diana that I'll bet you have the Beatles mono box and the new stereo remasters and that I've been wondering what your thoughts are. We got our mono box through one of Diana's online friends, who ordered three of them. I love everything about it: the cough in "Norwegian Wood," the differences in 'Revolver' and 'Pepper'. There are plenty of differences in 'The White Album,' too, of course, but I've had a bootleg copy of it for the last 15 years. It's nice to finally have an official copy.I've also had bootleg copies of the first four British albums in stereo for just as long. So far I've purchased five of the stereo albums: 'With The Beatles,' 'A Hard Day's Night,' 'Beatles For Sale,' 'Rubber Soul,' and 'Revolver'. I wanted to get the 'Please Please Me' album in order to replace the four bootlegs with official copies in one shopping spree but they were out of it.I think the films on the individual stereo releases are cool to have but are not essential. I also think the packaging on the individual stereo releases - sans the cardboard sleeve - were very well done: great photos and informative liner notes. Anyway, regarding the mono collection, I've noticed a significant difference in quality on the 'Please Please Me' album, most notably on the vocal harmonies; they're not as harsh. They're "warmer" and not as "sharp".Now all Capitol has to do is release Volume Three of the remaining U.S. albums in both mono and stereo.Eager to hear your comments.EdHi Ed!Long time, no talk is right!!!I was fortunate enough to pick up TWO sets of the mono box the week they came out ... and had the stereo box in my hands, too, but put it back and opted to buy the individual stereo CDs instead ... Target was running a special here where the single CDs were just $11 each and for every two you bought, you got a $5 Target Gift Card ... which, when all was said and done, meant I got all of the same music but ALSO saved about $35 off the purchase price in the process ... AND ultimately got two of the CD's for free! I have the stereo box on back-order but now that I've seen all the videos, I'm half inclined to cancel it ... unless there's something especially different about it ... an extra CD booklet or something (???) As for the "bonus videos", if you stacked them all back-to-back, they add up to about 40 minutes of material ... with nothing really new or revolutionary to be found in ANY of them. Still, they're very nice to have ... and, without a doubt, this feature helped to spur the buying madness that surrounded these releases the first several days ... virtually EVERY store around here was COMPLETELY sold out within 48 hours. It just seems like there is so much more they COULD have done with these bonus videos to enhance the package ... or packaged a separate DVD that covered ALL of the albums, thus spurring even more sales of the individual LPs. And, speaking of the package, let's talk a little bit about the packaging. It seems Apple was a little concerned that there would be an outcry of protest about them messing with the original LP artwork ... but I've heard virtually NOTHING about this in any of the reviews I've read. The new CD cases and booklets are BEAUTIFUL to look at ... but I do have a few critiques in this regard. Personally, I would have preferred that they left the outer sleeves intact, putting all the new photography into the inner gatefold. There are TONS of new photographs to look at in the VERY high-gloss booklets (SO glossy, in fact, that a few of mine had pages stuck together!) But the liner notes are horrendous!!! Again, when I think about what they COULD have done with these, the reality is a REAL disappointment. They're "cold" and impersonal ... for far-greater, detailed recording statistics, they could have used Mark Lewisohn's EXCELLENT recaps from his "Recording Sessions" book ... and for a MUCH more enjoyable and entertaining reading experience, they easily could have culled some of the information from all of Bruce Spizer's collected works ... or even used the words of The Beatles themselves from their "Anthology" book. Instead I don't feel ANY sense of honor or appreciation of this great music in what's been written in these booklets ... VERY disappointing!I, too, have had copies of all the mono and stereo stuff for years ... but it IS nice to have the "cleaned-up" versions. (A couple of disappointments on the "A Hard Day's Night" stereo disk 'tho ... why is there still that annoying drop-out at the beginning of "I Should Have Known Better" after all this time?!?!? This version has been circulating since the American "Hey Jude" album was released back in 1970 ... certainly during the "clean-up" process they could have fixed this. (There has been a similar "drop-out" note in "Day Tripper" for many pressings over the past 40 years ... but the stereo version included in the new "Past Masters" disk sounds fine.) I've read stories over the years that the original tapes for "I Should Have Known Better" were damaged or destroyed ... or that this note had actually "worn out" on the original master tape ... yet I've heard clean versions of it since then. Certainly in all the pain-staking time spent restoring these tapes they could have duped in the mono mix for the intro or "cloned" in this note from another line in the song to help restore it to its original state ... thus solving this problem for all eternity. And even the title track seems slightly out-of-sync at the very beginning when John's double-tracked vocal seems a bit more "off" than I've ever heard it in the past 45 years.)Honestly, it was most important for me to have the mono box anyway ... and I agree that Capitol really SHOULD complete the series (although now I wonder if they will ... but we DESERVE to get the whole set, especially now that they've hit the point where "Yesterday ... And Today" would be the next LP in the series. We'd also get the US Mono and Stereo versions of "Revolver", "Sgt. Pepper" and "Magical Mystery Tour" in the next 4-pack. And then I say keep it going ... give us a stand-alone version of the mono and stereo White Album and complete the series with "Yellow Submarine", "Abbey Road", "Let It Be" and the US-only "Hey Jude" album. "Hey Jude" was kinda OUR version of the "Past Masters" series 30 years sooner, including all of the tracks that had never appeared on a U.S. Beatles album up to that point ... except one ... for SOME reason "From Me To You" NEVER appeared on a U.S. album disk until the 1962-1966 Red Album in 1973!) I'd ALSO love to see them reissue the original "A Hard Day's Night" U.S. Soundtrack LP, too, since it had all the movie instrumentals on it ... and the cleanest, crispest vocal version of "And I Love Her" I've ever heard. If I'm not mistaken, Capitol and United Artists are now the same company anyway, so why NOT release it, even as a stand-alone piece? (You folks at Collectors' Choice paying attention here???)I have long-preferred the mono version of "Sgt. Pepper" ... and enjoy hearing some of the subtle (and more obvious) differences on The White Album, too. Plus, unlike most purists, I've always liked the extra echo that Capitol put on early tracks like "I Feel Fine" and "She's A Woman" because that's the way we first heard these songs way back when. (Interesting, too, that the Capitol reissued version of "Rubber Soul" includes the false-start on "I'm Looking Through You", just like my vinyl LP did back in the '60's!!!)It's really neat that people are listening to all this great music again ... and a lot of kids are discovering it for the very first time. (Have you seen "Love" yet out in Las Vegas? We REALLY want to see it again!) With "Rock Band" doing brisk sales, The Beatles have absolutely taken on their fifth generation of fans. (I understand that there's ALL kinds of never-before-heard studio chatter in the Rock Band Game ... that'd be cool to hear, too!)Anyway, that's my take on all of this ... and that's speaking as one of those idiots who have bought this VERY same music for the fifth and sixth time now!!! lol (kk)

Well, in addition to the mono box, which, we were told by our local shop, is already out-of-print (?), we now have nine of the individual, newly-remastered stereo albums. In fact, just today we purchased 'Let It Be' and 'Magical Mystery Tour'. I admit that I'm pissed over the fact that the booklet for 'Let It Be' has a little kink in it, as if someone pushed it carelessly into its sleeve, which is what happened, I'm sure. I have a couple of fairly heavy boxes on it now to try and "fix" it.Anyway, I can understand you enjoying the echo on "She's A Woman" and "I Feel Fine" as that's how you first heard them, but I prefer the versions without the echo. To me they just sound more "natural".As for why the stereo version of "I Should Have Known Better" has the harmonica drop out, I dunno, but I take it as having the same (more or less) circumstance as to why "Norwegian Wood" has a cough in the mono version. When all is said and done, though, It's the little nuances that make it ALL worth owning!I purchased their basic catalog between 1987 and 1990. The first Beatles CD I purchased was 'Rubber Soul'. I was still in high school at the time (I graduated in '88). But, as I'm getting the stereo versions again, I'm giving away the older editions of the albums to a friend. I'm even copying the back covers of the older editions before giving them away and inserting them into jewel cases as I hate the cardboard sleeves that the new versions come in.In all honesty, I don't hear THAT much of a difference between the new stereo versions and the 1987/'88 editions. The new stereo releases have, as you know, the mini-documentaries, which are cool to own but are not essential, and brief but informative liner notes plus photos. The individual booklets are glossy; very sharp-looking, which is partly why I'm pissed about the kink in the 'Let It Be' booklet. But I digress. Sound quality aside, the mini-docs and the new packaging make buying the catalog again so worth it - at least to diehards!Oh, yeah: you may want to make back-up copies of the mono set. I did, and was able to put everything onto seven discs. I almost forgot: no, we never did see 'Love'. We have the soundtrack, though!Ed

We'd really like to see it again. We watched the video "All Together Now" yesterday which is pretty much the "making" of the show ... some nice interviews with Paul, Ringo, Olivia Harrison and Yoko ... and ALL the great music used in the soundtrack. (It truly IS timeless!) There's one scene where Paul leans over to Ringo while sitting in the audience and whispers, "We really WERE a GREAT fucking band!!!" lol (Sorry, bagawire, but that's what he said!!! lol) kk

Lucy Vodden, the woman who inspired the

Beatles classic 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,' died last Tuesday at the age of 46. Vodden, a childhood friend of Julian Lennon, passed away after losing a fight with the autoimmune disease lupus, according to an announcement made Monday by the St. Thomas' Lupus Trust Charity.John Lennon took the song title from a picture Julian had drawn of Vodden at school. "That's Lucy in the sky with diamonds," Julian told his dad when he brought the artwork home. Due to the psychedelic feel of the song, from the Fab Four's iconic 1967 album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' many fans felt the song's title was an allusion to LSD."I remember Julian and I both doing pictures on a double-sided easel, throwing paint at each other, much to the horror of the classroom attendant," Vodden -- who's maiden name was O'Donnell -- told BBC radio in 2007. "Julian had painted a picture and on that particular day his father turned up with the chauffeur to pick him up from school."In June, it was reported that Lennon was supporting Vodden during her fight with the disease. According to the charity, Lennon and his mother, John's first wife Cynthia, were "shocked and saddened by the loss of Lucy and their thoughts are with her husband and family today and always."-- from Spinner

MARSHALL LYTLE:Thursday, October 1, 2009 ... the Return of Marshall Lytle of Bill Haley’s Comet’s. Nothing will keep this man down. Less than a month after having two operations and having his leg amputated two inches above his knee, he returns to the stage of the Andy Williams Theater in Branson, Missouri. Don’t forget ... his new book "Still Rockin’ Around the Clock" is available at Amazon.comJimmy Jaywww.RewindShow.comre: OR IS IT SIMPLY CHILD ABUSE?:>>>And I guess we'll have to pick up the new MacKenzie Phillips book now to read all about "family sex" with Papa John!!! (kk)MACKENZIE will be fine now that her head's clear ... there's a new man in her life ... ROMAN POLANSKI(gary) RENFIELD ... www.RIPRenfield.comHi Kent,With all the attention and discussion on child abuse brought about by Mackenzie Phillips, it seems a perfect time for someone to cut my song "PLEASE DON'T BELIEVE ME"(attached). Any ideas or references would be most welcome.Thanks for your ears,Alan O'DayAnother VERY powerful track from Alan's latest CD release, "I Hear Voices" ... we're featuring it here today for your consideration ... and contemplation. (kk)

By the way, The Biography Channel was heavy on the music this week ... the other night they ran back-to-back-to-back profiles on Mama Cass Elliott, The Mamas and the Papas and MacKenzie Phillips ... all fascinating viewing. They even did a feature on The Red Hot Chili Peppers this week! (kk)

re: HELPING OUT OUR READERS:Hey there,I have been looking for a maybe early '60's tune called Angelico.I don't know who wrote it or who sang it, A Peter Maffay does a German version but I remember hearing it in English as a kid. Any help on this forgotten hit? I have asked and asked and so far haven't even gotten a reply.Thanks,BillA quick check of Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles book came up empty ... maybe somebody else on the list recalls this one??? (kk)

HEY KENT!ARE THERE ANY BARS / LOUNGES CLOSE TO CHICAGO THAT PLAY NOTHING BUT OLDIES MUSIC (LIKE JUKEBOX SAT. NITE USED TO)?THANKS ...MGBI'm sure there are ... let's put it out to the list and see what they come back with! (kk)

re: 1969:Kent, I just finished Rob Kirkpatrick's book about this most complicated year. I remembered most, but not all, of these events - but hadn't thought about them in context the way Rob presented them. The book is well-researched and detailed enough to go deeper than the usual summaries seen in other places. Despite the typos and occasional loose editing, this book is a must-read for anyone who lived those years, or who wants to gain an understanding of the "days of rage". Thanks for recommending it. DavidThe book is very well done and highly recommended ... I like the way he takes a series of events and then intertwines them to paint a larger picture. Definitely a fun AND informative read ... it certainly helped ME out while putting together my Forgotten Hits Series on 1969 in August! (kk)

Add to your list of lost 1969 records. How about the “Zombies” follow-ups to Time Of The Season that all got lost! The best one for me is “Don’t Cry For Me” on Date. Also recommended “If It Don’t Work Out”, “This Will Be Our Year” etc. Great stuff, somehow got lost in the shuffle.Ken

re: ON THE RADIO:

Special props to Bob Stroud of The Drive here in Chicago (our "Rock And Roll Roots" guy) for some VERY clever programming. It's REALLY tough not being able to listen to the radio at all during the day anymore, especially for a music guy like me ... so it's a real treat when I'm out in the car during the work hours and able to spin the dial around a little bit. As such, I was pleasantly surprised the other day when I caught Bob's daily "Ten At Ten" program. Typically following a format of "Ten Great Songs From One Great Year", Stroud drifted a few planets away from the normal playlist this week by featuring Ten Great Songs Spotlighting The Cow Bell!!! (Now who would have ever thought of THIS as a subject matter for a "countdown-type" show?!?!?) Naturally, I was IMMEDIATELY fascinated ... and just as immediately wondered if I could come up with ten songs that prominently featured the cow bell!!! (Not something I'd ever really considered before.) Turns out I couldn't do it ... not under pressure anyway! (I tend to "challenge" myself in these situations to see how many similar titles I come up with BEFORE the programming starts. Able to only come up with six tracks off the top of my head, I was pleased to see that FOUR of them did, in fact, make Bob's list: "Honky Tonk Women" by The Rolling Stones, "Workin' For The Weekend" by Loverboy, "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain and "We're An American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad. Now those were relatively easy choices because it's the cow bell that kicks off these songs. One That Missed (but was definitely on the right track): I thought of "I Call Your Name" by The Beatles ... and Bob played "You Can't Do That", another great Beatles cow bell tune. ("Drive My Car" would have been another obvious Beatles track.) Most Obvious Title Missing From MY List: "Low Rider" by War ... never even considered that one!!! Most Obvious Title Missing From HIS List: "Grazing In The Grass" by Hugh Masekela. Best Title "Teased" But Then Never Played: the whole middle break from "Stuck In The Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel. In between, Bob gave us "Dance The Night Away" by Van Halen, "Hair Of The Dog" by Nazareth, "Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult ... while the Van Halen one was immediately obvious, I honestly never would even considered those last two if given a MONTH to come up with ten titles!!! ... and a GREAT, over-looked Forgotten Hit, "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me" by Linda Ronstadt. All I know is that it's features like these that make radio interesting and fun to listen to ... there was NO way I was turning this program off until I had heard all ten titles. Kudos to Bob Stroud for "Pushing The Envelope" a little bit with some VERY creative programming. (And what's next??? Shall we start our list for Favorite Songs Featuring Maracas??? The Wood Block? How about The Triangle??? And, of course, if we ever feature Ten Great Tambourine Songs, in addition to "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds and "Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers, let's be sure to include something featuring Davy Jones and Tracy Partridge ... two of the most FAMOUS tambourine players of all time!!!) WTG, Bob! (kk)

re: THE WLS CHART:>>>Novelty hits always did well here in Chicago ... and "Earache My Eye" by the comedy duo Cheech and Chong was no exception. (kk)Kent,I am sure many know "Earache" was also used prominently in John Landecker's "Press My Conference" as well, a bit later on. John began doing impersonations of Richard Nixon in the early 70's, often as drop-ins about streaking or other short topics. Eventually, these evolved into "Make a Date With the Watergate" which he began playing often. That led to "Conference" and demand was so great for these that WLS had the songs pressed by Illinois owned "Evatone" records as a flexi-disc with both songs on the one-sided disc separated by his customized WLS PAMS jingle. I was one of many who wrote in for these free give-aways and was happy to receive it and still have today. This led to the songs being pressed on vinyl with each song on separate sides this time. The down side? Uncle Lar decided to counter from CFL with "The Mad Steaker" -- possibly the worst record ever released! :)Clark BeschYes, we featured Larry Lujack's "The Mad Streaker" a while back ... it truly IS one of the WORST pieces ever committed to wax!!! (lol) Landecker's bits were more of the Dickie Goodman variety as I recall ... and a current hit on the WLS Chart at the time was "Convention '72" by The Delegates (another track we featured not all that long ago.) Would LOVE to hear the complete versions of "Make A Date With The Watergate" and "Press My Conference" again if you've got 'em to share!!! (kk)

>>>My all-time favorite Osmonds song, "Love Me For A Reason". (kk)As for your Osmonds faves, many would cringe about such admissions. However, David Letterman would be happy you "came clean" about this! Now, I will also admit that I like many Osmonds songs today, but I also dislike many more. My faves I never tire of are "Let me In" (very Hudson Bros like), "Goin' Home" and an LP cut that could have almost been mistaken for a McCartney "Red Rose Speedway" track, "What Could it Be".ClarkFor whatever we may have thought about them at the time, these guys could really SING!!! And Donny is a pretty talented singer / musician all the way around. He's got one of the CLEANEST voices out there ... and STILL sounds great today. (Frannie and I saw him a few years ago ... one of the concert highlights was when he sang a duet with his 12-year-old self on "Puppy Love"!!!) And I will ALWAYS admit to like a well-crafted pop song ... to my ears there's simply nothing better. (kk)

>>>A quick glance at the Album Chart (showing LPs and Tapes ... lol ... jeez, how dated does THAT look nowadays!!! lol) shows Bachman-Turner Overdrive with TWO of the Top Four Albums this week ... "Not Fragile" is in at #1 and "Bachman-Turner Overdrive II" is holding down the #4 spot. (kk)

The LP chart? BTO? C'mon, did WLS really play hardly ANY LP cuts even at this point? Might as well have stuck with the old "Featured Album" listing and make the 45 list 40 songs! Maybe they NEEDED to play more LP cuts like "Free Wheelin" by BTO so we could hear less of the 1970's "Honey" -- "Having my Baby" or "The Night Chicago Died"!!?? "Clap for the Wolfman" showcased how popular Wolf had become after "American Graffiti". He WAS an icon. He made fun of himself and I loved that part of his schtick. CFL soon was playing Wolf customized top of the hour time checks for that station! He didn't need to say his name, all he had to say was "It's 11 o'clock at the Voice of Labor" and you knew who it was. That's ALL the time checks said. As he once commented about his Guess Who song, "It's better than Clap FROM the Wolfman"!!!!WLSClark

re: VIDEOS:Normally we run our video links in our "Leftovers" Pages ... but since we haven't even DONE a Leftovers Page in a while ... (we skipped both August AND September) ... and since these links are REALLY starting to pile up ... we figured we'd just run a bunch of them today and clear out some of these links. Some good stuff on here ... check 'em out when you have a few minutes to spare! (kk)

Hey gang:It's Friday Night, I don't know about you but I had a tough, tough week, and to discover the "Georgia Satellites" Live on the Concert Vault just redeemed my week. These guys kick ass as far as a live group are concerned. I'll never forget, when they recorded their single "Battleship Chains" it was at the Little Bear, in Morrison just a kiss away from Red Rocks, and my buddy Todd Cavanah (who was an Electra/Asylum record rep at the time) got me into the recording front and center and what a hoot!I'll tell you, if you wanna rock 'n roll for a Friday night or for the weekend, crank this sucker up. Again, if you're not a member to Wolfgang's Vault, you can sign up and it costs you NOTHING! Plus, you will have access to thousands of your favorite groups in concert FREE!Check it out, and take a FREE RIDE on me!Of course, "Keep Your Hands To Yourself" will knock you out as well as "Battleship Chains", "Something Else", and even Bob Dylan's "Tom Thumbs Blues" WHEW!Have a great and blessed weekend!BTW, God touched me today, and made a HUGE difference in my dismal life! Funny how things "happen"!"Wild" Bill

Kent ...I just found out that Chicago will sing this song on Wednesday's Tonight Show.I'd rather hear "Saturday At Belmont Park." Belmont is our local racetrack.Frank B.YouTube - Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4

Wow!Some great stuff from Spain, Italy, and places I can't even pronounce. Lots of videos to check out.Kind of interesting that Roger is using a RIC Sunburst 12 string, I can't tell if it's a RM model or not? But some great McGuinn clips from just days ago. BTW Roger just recently celebrated his 67th birthday ... YOU GO BROTHER!Enjoy,Wild BillRoger McGuinn in Madrid. So You Want to be a Rock and Roll ...

Roger McGuinn in Madrid. Joy Eslava Theater 5/06/09 So You Want to be a Rock and Roll Star. The Byrds Song. Solo Concert. An amazing night with ...youtube.com

Kent ...I heard this group on The Group Harmony Revue, Saturday. I like this song. I think they have that "Frankie Lymon" sound. What do you think ?Frank B.YouTube - Teen Doo Wop - The Youngtones - By The CandleglowI'm not a big doo-wop guy so I'm probably the wrong one to ask. Honestly, they sound like any one of two dozen OTHER acts from that era ... which is to say I don't hear ANYTHING distinctive enough to make this one stand out ... but that's just my opinion. We have some REAL doo-wop aficionados on the list ... I'm sure that THEY'LL give you a better reading on this than I can! (kk)

KK -Check THIS out!The Desert Rose Band - Featuring Chris & Herb, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and more!HUNTINGTON BEACH – Surf City will host a blast from the past as part of its centennial celebrations.A reunion and two days of concerts are slated for Sept. 25 and 26 as a tribute to the Golden Bear – a legendary restaurant and nightclub that became a landmark in the city during its heyday in the 1960s through the mid-'80s. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bear-golden-concert-2527551-reunion-huntingtonWild Bill / Peggy

http://www.greghawkesmusic.com/Check out the ukelele version of Eleanor Rigby!MarleneIt's EXCELLENT ... I love it!!! Listened to it several times now. Thanks for sharing. (kk)Finally - someone who'll give Julia Nunes some YouTube competition!David Lewis

Kent ...How ya' doin'? The remake of "Fame" just opened and as a tribute my friend, songwriter Dean Pitchford, I just put up the DEAN PITCHFORD VIDEO JUKEBOX! Featuring videos from "FAME" 1980 and remake 2009! Original footage from "FOOTLOOSE" ... also clips by Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Irene Cara, Kenny Loggins, with all songs co-written by Academy Award winning song writer Dean Pitchford.http://artiewayne. wordpress.com/2009/09/25/the- dean-pitchford-video-jukebox/Hope you enjoy them, Regards,Artiehttp://artiewayne.wordpress. com/about-artie-wayne/Hey Kent,Thought I would share this with you and Frannie. It's awesome!I hope all is well in Chicago!God BlessJannyBEAUTIFUL! I had never heard this song before, but if you'll listen to the end, you may be as surprised as I was.http://silverandgoldandthee.net/V/Lil.htmlYes ... a VERY moving performance!!! Thanks for sharing. (kk)Now this IS entertainment!Hey we're NOT talking about the Backstreet Boys here ... enjoy my friends!Wild BillLouie Armstrong and Danny Kaye -Greatperformance.This one is REALLY making the rounds ... you won't believe how many times I've received this by now!!! Proof again that some of these CLASSICS are still the best entertainment out there! Check it out if you haven't seen it yet. (kk)

You have GOT to see this!!!FrannieClick here: As Seen on TV: Is Aspray for real?Perhaps the most offensive infomercial you'll ever see is an advertisement for a spray that claims to be able to prevent butt-stink and every other odor no single deodorant would dare to tackle."Aspray goes where other deodorants can't. Aspray your butt," the announcer boasts. "Aspray under your arms. Aspray your feet. You can even Aspray your privates."Then, to top it off, a woman is shown crossing her legs and spraying her crotch, followed by this line:. "Aspray is safe for all your odor zones."MSNBC told The Washington Post the network aired the commercial once in the overnight hours and will never air it again. Instead, it is a sensation onYouTube.The "Doc Bottoms' Aspray" -- it's pronounced A-spray, though most certainly intended to be remembered for an alternative pronunciation -- seems more like a Saturday Night Live skit than a real product. Case in point, the commercial includes a supposed testimonial from sweaty contractor "Lanny F.," who proclaims in animated fashion, "I've got odors in special places," later noting: "My butt."You can get two Aspray for $14.95 plus $7.95 shipping and handling each. That brings the total to $30.85. But wait, there's more. You also get the "Pocket Shot," which we're told is "Perfect for on the go or give it to your smelly friend."Charming.And there you have it: the special recipe for getting a product noticed for the depths it has plummeted. The best part is all this publicity is free -- a big savings over the cost of airing an infomercial.

TOOOOOO funny!!! Have you guys seen this one yet?!?!? (kk)

re: INSTRUMENTALS:I've got a correction for you regarding your blog posting listing the Top 40 All-Time Instrumental Hits. For entry number 26, the correct song title is "Topsy TURVY (Part 2)"by the famed Cozy Cole ... Thank your attention in this regard.Ben E. McCoy, retiredActually, that's not quite true ..."Topsy" (Parts 1 and 2) were the A and B Side of the same single, released as Love 5004 in August of 1958 ..."Turvy" (Parts 1 and 2) was his FOLLOW-UP Hit single, released about four months later. (Its catalog number was Love 5014.)"Topsy" (Part 2) "topped" both the Cash Box Chart AND the charts here in Chicago. (It peaked at #3 in Billboard.) It was actually a remake of a then 20 year old Benny Goodman tune. (Goodman's version hit #14 in 1938.) "Topsy" (Part 1) ALSO made Billboard's chart, peaking at #27."Turvy" didn't fare as well ... it peaked at #25 in Cash Box and stopped at #36 in Billboard ... and failed to chart at all here in Chicago.... and yet in the recording i have previously referred to, Cozy Cole actually says during the song's intro, "TOPSY TURVY, part 2" ... a real conundrum it sounds to me, eh?Ben

To complicate things even FURTHER, Cole ALSO recorded a song called "Topsy Turvy"!!! My guess is THAT's the one where you hear him state BOTH titles. (I don't have copy to confirm this, but it makes the most logical sense ... compare YOUR record to the "Topsy" track shown below and see if they're different songs completely. (kk)

>>>Be sure to check out The Forgotten Hits Web Page today to see our "OFFICIAL" List of The Top 40 Instrumentals, 1955 - 1979, courtesy of Randy Price. (kk)OK, I'll give Randy, The Hustle, Pick Up The Pieces and even Fly, Robin, Fly as instrumentals, but Fingertips???Ed ErxlebenHonestly, that one kinda surprised me, too ... a quick check of the brand new Joel Whitburn book ALSO shows Van McCoy's "The Hustle", "Pick Up The Pieces" by The Average White Band and "Fly, Robin, Fly" by Silver Convention as instrumentals ... but does NOT consider "Fingertips, Part 2" an instrumental track. ("Live", yes ... but instrumental, no.) I asked Randy for his comments and here's what he had to say:

Kent, My criteria for inclusion on this list is pretty much the same as what I believe Whitburn's is: any song that was primarily an instrumental, even if it had incidental vocals that did not constitute the singing of a verse of the song. Granted, "Fingertips (pt. 2)" is a tough call, but I believe it meets those criteria, despite Whitburn's apparent disagreement.-- Randy Price

A few more missing in action??? ...

On your top instrumentals page, there is not even a mention of "Green Onions". That has to be on the list. Even in the remotest jungles of Africa they've heard it. Alex Valdez

No Booker T???? That list isn't complete without Green Onions!Nezzy

I read the list.Question: Was "Wipeout" eligible?What about "Green Onions?" Or "Memphis" by Lonnie Mack?Am I out of touch?SpudparI would have figured "Wipe Out", with TWO Top Ten Chart runs to its credit would have finished right near the top of the list. (Wipe Out hit #2 in Billboard in 1963 and #9 in Cash Box three years later.) "Green Onions", a #3 Hit for Booker T. and the MG's in 1962, is probably one of the most POPULAR (and over-used) instrumentals of all time ... I'm a little surprised not to see THIS one on the list, too. Lonnie Mack's instrumental version of "Memphis" charted higher than the Chuck Berry vocal original ... it peaked at #5 in 1963. Perhaps Randy can tell us where these three songs might have finished had we expanded the list to feature The Top 100 Instrumentals??? (kk)Mea culpa on "Wipe Out." I had forgotten about its second chart run in 1966. Including points from that year, "Wipe Out" does indeed make the list -- at a lofty No. 7. Here is the revised list, extended to 50 positions to include some of the songs people had questions about. (You'll see that "Green Onions" by Booker T. barely sneaks into the Top 50. "Memphis" by Lonnie Mack was not close to making the Top 50, based on its overall chart run [not just peak position] on the national charts.)

It's late, I'm tired and that was a long email to try and read the whole thing so I could have missed it, but I consider "Maria Elena" by Los Indios Tabejeros to be one of the best ones along with "Apache" by Jorgen Inmann. Thanks and great job compiling all this.Sweet DreamsCharlie FraserYep, both great instrumentals ... but you've got to understand that this list was NOT a listed of "favorites" but rather an official list compiled based on actual chart performance. I've considered DOING a list of favorites ... it'd be interesting to see how the charts compare. Are you guys up for that??? (kk)

Hi: Typing about instrumentals 1955 to 1979, I'm compelled to mention a coupla TV theme faves by Nelson Riddle: "Route 66" and "The Untouchables" Respectively these conjure up imagery about the freedom of the open road in the U.S.A.and the drama of Roarin' 20's Chicago. I have a preference for the punched up tv episode intro / outro version of the "Untouchables" and wonder if it was ever released as a single or on an album. At the same time, I recall the copycat tv show "The Roaring 20's" and it's own theme music. These are the sort of tunes that I'll frequently toss into my freeform radio salad because they're yummy to listen to! (LOL!) Enjoy! JBK aka ... etc., etc ... Yes, you can turn me on! I'm on the radio! Surf City Sounds Plus:http://www.Live365.com/stations/johns805?playKent,Just so you know, this isn't sour grapes, just stating some facts."Blues Theme" went top five on every chart across the country but because of "Tower Record's" so-so promotion, it didn't have a great showing on Billboard because it flitted from city to see in about a nine month period. BUT ... it sold around 800,000 copies.Thanks,Davie Allan"Blue's Theme" certainly was big here in Chicago ... in fact, check out the email below yours and you'll find a recap of The Chicagoland Top 40 Instrumentals, 1960 - 1970 ... with "Blue's Theme" listed at #35!!! (kk)

Kent,I put a four-cassette set of instrumentals together back in 80's that had hits and obscure stuff along with detailed notes on the songs. It IS a lot of fun as you say. I have to laugh at this statement: "As noted by Joel Whitburn yesterday, NOTHING post-1985 would have made the "All Time" List anyway!" THANK YOU, Joel! I hate all your lists that have later hits way above TRUE classics just because they charted FOREVER on later charts. Not a true assessment, no matter what Billboard's data shows. At least 55-79 has a pretty FAIR competition via chart weeks and heights. In 1980, I completed my search for ALL WLS charts from 1960 thru 1970 and put together a points system to make a WLS all-time chart for the years Oct 1960 (beginning of Silver $ Survey) thru 1970. It gave a point a week for positions below top 10 and then more and more points for each top 10 position with bonus points for #1. Below is what I came up with for the 1960-1970 WLS INSTRUMENTALS of the era back then in 1980. If you take out the songs Randy came up with that don't fit my WLS period, there are many similar ranks and many not even near being national hits.

1. Exodus (With mention of Ferrante & Tiecher this week, I had meant to mention that this song also was #2 on the WLS all-time 1960-70 chart I made -- #1 was Monkees' "I'm a Believer / Steppin Stone" TSW -- Two sided winner.)

2. Wonderland by Night (4 weeks at #1, most by any instrumental on WLS charts)

3. Let There be Drums

4. Telstar

5. Love is Blue (my similar all time list for Lincoln, Ne KLMS listed this #1 after 12 week run starting in Dec 1967, making it one of the very first to break the record, I'm sure)

As Art Roberts would say, "others receiving votes ..." (all top 8 charters that are not of much national note): Rev Up - Manuel & Renegades; That's the Way with Love - Piero Soffici; Tamoure - Bill Justis; A Night with Daddy G - Church St. 5; Rat Race - Richard Maltby

NOW, I wish I could find my tape lists so I could send along MY list of GREAT obscure instrumentals!WLSClark

re: THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME:You seem to always be picking on The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, particularly when the list of new nominees comes out. I've visited their museum and it's a beautiful site and tribute to this great music. Maybe it's time to give it a rest.RickQuite honestly, about the ONLY time anybody thinks about The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is when the new list of nominees comes out ... and believe me, we're NOT the only ones discussing it. Over the past dozen years or so, the list of candidates being considered ... and, much worse, the list of DESERVING artists who are continually overlooked has become beyond ludicrous and ridiculous. Many of these artists have told me that they don't even care anymore because The Hall no longer stands for anything ... it has lost ALL credibility in the minds of most music fans around the country. We did a month-long series on this subject a few years ago and evidently struck a nerve with MANY of these music fans out there who are sick and tired of being told by Jann Wenner that HE knows rock and roll music and YOU don't. (In fact, it was THAT series that truly pushed Forgotten Hits over the top ... deejays around the country started reading our daily posts on the air and we were invited to guest on a number of programs across the USA ... at one point I had to take a day off from work to do six radio shows in the same day!!!) Now this HARDLY makes me an "expert" on the subject ... because, in fact, all I really did was state my own opinions ... but clearly I am not alone in my opinions on this topic. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of phone calls and emails came through on this subject after Forgotten Hits raised the "awareness" as to how The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame really works. (And, in the "Timing Is Everything" category, when The Dave Clark Five / Grandmaster Flash scandal broke three days before our series was about to end, our "ratings", rantings and ravings went through the roof ... so much so that Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Museum President Terry Stewart backed out of his scheduled interview with Forgotten Hits! (One thing that you have to keep in mind is the fact that the museum and the committee in New York are two TOTALLY separate and different entities ... the museum IS a beautiful tribute to the many great artists who have shaped our musical world and, quite often, you'll see displays there featuring artists who have not been inducted into The Hall. The committee in New York, however, is the governing force that ultimately decides who gets in and who doesn't ... and the easiest way to control that, of course, is to simply never nominate an artist in the first place! The purpose of my interview was really pretty simple ... I just wanted to talk to somebody there "hands on" who could better explain the "criteria" of what makes an artist RRHF-worthy. For example, how does an artist like The Guess Who FAIL to meet the stringent criteria required to be nominated ... yet somebody like Percy Sledge, who scored with one huge soul / soft rock ballad, a FAR cry from rock and roll, IS a member of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... 'cause from what I'VE heard, even Percy Sledge HIMSELF doesn't understand it!!!) On a more POSITIVE note, I took the complete OPPOSITE approach with last year's candidates ... and ran a website tribute to the chosen few inducted in 2008. In fact, I even invited our readers to contribute THEIR thoughts on some of these great artists. You can still find this posted on The Forgotten Hits Web Page: Click here: Forgotten Hits: The 2008 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees... so it isn't ALL negativity!!! (kk)

How about the top selling American Duo of the 70's - Carpenters? Karen and Richard made some of the finest recordings and sold in numbers that qualify them for induction. True, they didn't rock out ... but musically, it's hard to top what they produced from 1969-1983.

Chip Cogswell

First Choice PROductions

Burleson, Texas

Yeah, you'll get some arguments on that one ... Hit Parade Hall Of Fame, yes ... "Soft Rock" Hall Of Fame, definitely ... but The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame??? Ain't NEVER gonna happen!!! (kk)

Kent,I'm sure if everyone on your mailing list answered the question of deserving & denied, you'd certainly have enough fodder to take you thru the rest of the year. I figure I'll throw in my two cents worth. In a way, I'm quite surprised Linda Ronstadt isn't in the Rock Hall. Rolling Stone put her on the cover three times. In my mind she's one of three female vocalists of our time who can sing the phone book. One, Aretha Franklin is already enshrined. The other is Barbra Streisand, who obviously is not a rock and roll performer, although that doesn't seem to matter to the powers that be. I agree that the Hollies should be there, they had an impressive string of hits, even after Graham Nash left. The Moody Blues should be in as well. I would think that Hall & Oates should be inducted before the Red Hot Chili Peppers, although I think neither belong. Hall & Oates didn't do anything that the Righteous Brothers and the Rascals didn't do before and better. They are definitly a product of MTV and the video generation. I also agree that if you've been nomintaed a certain amount of times and you're not in, then you don't get in. As much as I like Iggy Pop, I have to vote no. Connie Francis should be there. She's possibly hurt by her lack of exposure since her assault years ago. Also because of the amount of non rock and roll stuff she's recorded. Count me in for guys like Pat Boone & Neil Sedaka, too. As you've pointed out in the past, the Rock Hall is already full of artists who have no business being there, as well as some who've been selected more than once. I'm waiting for Eric Clapton to be enshrined for his work with Delaney & Bonnie and Blind Faith. To play Devil's Advocate for a moment, it's important for the Rock Hall to stay relevant, which might be the reason for the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as more and more rap groups. Don't forget heavy metal. Can Motley Crue, Metallica, Guns N'Roses, et al, be far behind? Probably not. I don't think it will get better, even if Jann Wenner drops dead tomorrow. Finally, yes on Three Dog Night, and I vote no on a couple of everybody's faves, Chicago & the Doobie Brothers. Perhaps had Chicago kept in the same vein of music as their first three albums, maybe, but there were bands that did what they did before and better. The Doobies were still another typical 70s band, lots of hits, but Michael McDonald just transferred what he was doing in Steely Dan, and applied that same staccato beat to every Doobies song in the last half of the 70s. Enshrine the Doobie Brothers, then you might as well put in Styx, REO, Kansas and the rest. I'm sure there's few I forgot, but Mrs. Rock And Roll Never Forgets wants to use the computer.Jack (Rock And Roll Never Forgets)

As we learned during our oft-described long-winded series, the list can come up with dozens and dozens and dozens more artists to be added to the Deserving And Denied List. We also ran the full gamut of responses like "Opinions are like assholes ... everybody's got one" ... and "That's why they have menus in restaurants ... so we can all make our own choices." We will never ALL agree on who should and shouldn't get in. (Hell, try to get four people to agree on where to go to lunch today!!!) But it DOES make for interesting conversation ... and no one opinion should be held in any higher regard than any other opinion ... unless, of course, you ARE Jann Wenner ... right??? (kk)

If one believes that Laura Nyro should be elected only into the songwriters HOf, then one has never listened to her album output. And if one is still hung up on the term "rock 'n roll," then one has never listened to her album output. Let's face it, "rock 'n roll" has far reaching interpretations. It can't be so narrowly focused as to negate the works of a Joni Mitchell or Laura Nyro, as I've so often read in these pages. I mean if that's the case, what the hell is Connie Francis doing in this discussion? Are you really going to try and tell me she rocks? She was a pop stylist with winning looks and personality who posessed pedestrian vocal abilities and was fortunate to have the top songwriters of the day toss her some of their best work. My opinion. My opinion again. She couldn't compare to Laura Nyro. And I don't care how many hits she had. If the R&R HOF committee got one thing right, it's that it shouldn't be about the number of hits an artist had. That means nothing except they were popular, and this shouldn't be about a popularity contest. I'd much rather see the artists who have furthered the artistic side of the "art" inducted into the HOF, rather than those who sold the most records. Of course you've got artists who did both, Beatles, etc. And of course I understand how highly subjective the "artisitic side of the art" is. But again, Laura Nyro is a singer / songwriter / arranger of unique abilities and she didn't sound like anybody else when she hit in 1966. If the truly original works of the rock / jazz / soul / blues shadings of albums like "Eli & the 13th Confession," "New York Tendaberry," "Christmas and the Beads of Sweat" aren't worthy of noting her influence on the art, and "Lipstick On Your Collar" is .... then I'm damn deaf.Bob Stroud / WDRVAs pointed out many times in these pages, there are no "right" or "wrong" opinions when it comes to music ... music works on SO many levels that it affects each and every one of us differently ... the same song on any given day may elicit a completely different reaction depending on your current state of mind. Some songs, no matter how many times you've heard them, "REALLY sounded good today" ... yet we may turn that same song off two days from now. To a degree, all you've done is support Jann Wenner's claim that the general public isn't qualified to make the decisions as to who does and does not deserve to be inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... which is why he has appointed HIMSELF (and his invisible peers) to make these decisions for us ... and that is and has always been my biggest beef with The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. MY feeling is that the "general consensus" should agree that an artist is DESERVING of such an honor. When I did my RRHF Series, I received hundreds and hundreds of letters from fans who started their letter with the words "I didn't realize that 'so-and-so' wasn't in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame." That's because the general public just ASSUMES that an artist like Chicago or Neil Diamond MUST have been recognized for their great body of work. And those of us who consider ourselves the REAL music fans are even MORE passionate about these beliefs. Consider this for just a second ... without question, The Drive is a GREAT radio station ... ALL about the music ... saluting the Classic Rock that provided The Soundtrack To Our Lives. At any given point during the day you're likely to hear something by Chicago, The Guess Who, Three Dog Night, Jethro Tull, The Hollies, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Deep Purple, The Doobie Brothers, Heart, Hall and Oates, The Moody Blues, REO Speedwagon, The Cars, Styx, Linda Ronstadt, Yes, Genesis, The Zombies, ELO, Boston, Foreigner, ZZ Top, Kansas, Bad Company, Journey, Bryan Adams, Pat Benatar ... the list goes on and on and on ... this is what we ALL call "Classic Rock" ... the very defintion of this genre accepted by the "general consensus" of music fans out there ... yet not ONE of these artists listed is in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. According to The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, you've got it ALL wrong ... these are NOT rock and roll artists ... and the whole basis for this argument is the simple fact that THEY know rock and roll and YOU don't!!! How can these definitions of what constitutes rock and roll be so DRASTICALLY different? THAT's my beef. None of us will EVER agree on the true and exact definition of Rock And Roll ... but you can't HONESTLY tell me that Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bonnie Raitt and / or Percy Sledge rocked harder than ANY of the artists mentioned above ... yet these artists are all in (or being CONSIDERED) for induction ... and NONE of the artists on the above list have ever made the cut. There should be (at the very least) a general consensus that the list makes sense. How many tracks by Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bonnie Raitt and Percy Sledge did The Drive play this week? My guess is not many ... if ANY ... because THEY don't consider these artists "Rock And Roll" either. This music doesn't have the mass, universal appeal of the first batch of artists mentioned above. (And, while I've heard your station play all kinds of great, classic tracks by The Dave Clark Five, I really don't expect that you'll be adding any Grandmaster Flash to the playlist anytime soon ... or LL Cool J either for that matter!!!) My point isn't to argue ... simply to acknowledge that The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominating Committee has FAILED in their responsibility to BEST represent the "art form" of Rock And Roll Music ... and, until SOMEBODY gets in there with the balls to set things right, their credibility will continue to fade. (kk)

ONE MORE THING: Looking back over the list of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees from the past 20+ years, it's interesting to note that there was a time when seven or eight new inductees were recognized every year ... in fact, there was one year when FIFTEEN new members were inducted. Now they only induct five per year ... because more than that just "doesn't fit the format" of the VH-1 televised special. Part of THAT problem may be the fact that the induction speeches have grown indulgently long-winded ... often taking up more time than the ACCEPTANCE speeches!!! The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ASSURES us that, over time, ALL of the "deserving" artists WILL be recognized ... but when we see that some of these acts, many of whom have been eligible for 20-something years now yet still have NEVER appeared on the ballot, one cannot help but wonder. (This is what made The Chantels such a big surprise this year!) Maybe they WILL eventually get around to them ... but by then the artists ... and many of their fans ... will no longer be with us. Why not simply hold a "Special Induction Ceremony" to recognize some of these over-looked artists now when it will actually MEAN something? Save face AND build back some credibility in the process. Certainly worth considering if you ask me. (kk)

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We're doing our part to help Keep Yesterday Alive ... thanks to a GREAT list of music fans and contributors from all over the world. Forgotten Hits is Oldies Radio's Best Friend ... it's Radio That You Can Read! We're asking the deejays to dig just a LITTLE bit deeper and push the envelope just a LITTLE bit further and take the time to remember and acknowledge some of those GREAT songs and artists that we all know and love that just don't get played anymore ... the ones that traditional oldies radio has forgotten all about with their short, repetitive play lists. Without your help and support, this great music will continue to disappear and fade away.